Asian markets were mixed in early trading Friday, as investors pondered the effects of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s more dovish stance.
Japan’s Nikkei NIK, -0.21% fell 0.2% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng HSI, -0.75% slipped 0.4%. The Shanghai Composite SHCOMP, -1.00% dropped 0.5% while South Korea’s Kospi SEU, -0.07% decline 0.2%. Benchmark indexes in Taiwan Y9999, -0.13% , Singapore STI, -0.08% and Indonesia JAKIDX, +0.29% were up slight. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 XJO, +0.47% was the region’s biggest gainer, up 0.6%.
Among individual stocks, Fast Retailing 9983, -1.31% and Sony 6758, -4.65% fell in Tokyo trading, while SoftBank Group 9984, +2.28% advanced. Property and casino stocks rose in Hong Kong while PetroChina 0857, -3.34% and Sunny Optical 2382, -2.96% were among the biggest decliners. Tencent 0700, -1.38% fell only slightly after reporting a worst-ever 32% drop in quarterly profit. Samsung 005930, +1.31% and SK Hynix 000660, +0.66% rose in South Korea. Fortescue Metals FMG, +1.84% and Beach Energy BPT, +1.90% jumped in Australia.
Providing critical information for the U.S. trading day. Subscribe to MarketWatch's free Need to Know newsletter. Sign up here.
